The female surgeon who served in military hospital for 36 years

Monitoring Desk

KABUL: Suhaila Siddiq, the first female lieutenant general in Afghanistan and a well-known surgeon, who served for 36 years in Daud Khan Military Hospital in Kabul has been in bed in the same hospital for the past five years.

Born in 1938 in Kabul, Siddiq started her studies in Kabul Medical University but completed her medical studies in Moscow State University.

Siddiq served as the Minister of Public Health from December 2001 to 2004. Prior to that, she worked as a senior surgeon in the military hospital.

She was one of few female government leaders in Afghanistan, and is the only woman in Afghanistan to hold the title of lieutenant general. Her illness in the past five years has taken the ability from her to remember her achievements and talk about it. TOLOnews reporter AnisaShaheed visited and talked with Siddiq.

“Darling, if I want I will speak, but I don’t want to talk,” Siddiq said.

Doctors said Siddiq has Alzheimer’s disease.

Siddiq is single and she has no family member as her parents have passed away. The doctors and nurses in the hospital are looking after her.

“General SuhailaSiddiq was the senior surgeon of Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan Hospital and she is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or memory loss which the patient even cannot recognize her close relatives,” said Amanullah, head of Daud Khan Military Hospital.

TalaBibi, a nurse who has been taking care of Suhaila for many years said three years ago when the militant attacked the hospital, Siddiq was in bed in the hospital.(TOLOnews)